Women’s FA Cup Third Round Qualifying Cambridge City 1 Ipswich Town 5 Ipswich Town Ladies kicked off their Women’s FA Cup campaign with a comfortable 5-1 victory over Cambridge City at Trinity Old Fields on Sunday, writes Kieren Standley.
A brace from Natasha Thomas and goals from Jordan Arnoup, Lindsey Cooper and Roxanne Small saw the Blues ease into the draw for the First Round Proper.
It took Town just six minutes to take the lead. Amanda Crump’s inswinging corner was swept home by Arnoup, after a goalmouth scramble, for her first goal for the club.
Town nearly doubled their advantage soon after. Thomas pounced on a defensive error but couldn’t get her half volley on target.
The Blues did double their advantage two minutes later as Crump was again the provider. The skipper’s corner was met by a towering Thomas to head home.
It could have been 3-0 on the half hour mark. Cooper’s cross found Thomas in the area but after some initial good control, her shot failed to test Tee Mhundury in the City goal.
Cambridge pulled one back six minutes after the restart. Lauren Tomlinson broke down the left wing and unleashed a powerful low shot which beat Ipswich keeper Sian Fagg at her near post.
The hosts were buoyed for a spell following the goal but Ipswich soon restored their cushion as Thomas burst through the middle of the field onto Crump’s header and she calmly stabbed past the onrushing keeper to make it 3-1 and claim her sixth goal of the season.
Town’s lead was soon extended with a stunning goal. Centre-half Cooper curled the ball into the top left corner from 30 yards out to make it 4-1 to the Blues.
Ipswich finished the game off three minutes later as Crump claimed her fifth assist of the game with her corner delivery excellently met by Roxanne Small with an overhead kick to score her second goal in her last two appearances.
Town return to league action this Wednesday at home to local rivals Norwich City at Felixstowe and Walton’s Goldstar Ground, kick-off 7.45pm.
In the reverse fixture just three weeks ago, Town saw off their rivals with an emphatic 5-0 win.
Town XI: Fagg (GK), Ball, Petley, Cooper, Arnoup, Moore (Cossey), Crump (C.), Craddock, Welton, Downey (Small), Thomas.
- Town will face Leyton Orient at home in the first round of the cup on November 12.
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